The present invention relates generally to site markers, distress signals, rescue beacons and the like, and more particularly, to a rocket-deployed, tethered signal balloon as a pin-point location marker.
At present, no reliable system exists to deploy a long duration rescue signal, such as a balloon, under extreme conditions. The need for such a signaling device becomes evident when one considers the problems of locating a pilot downed, for example, in a hostile environment or dense jungle terrain. Existing systems include smoke bombs, parachute flares shot from a pistol, radio beacons, xenon flashers and the like, but these are not effective in all situations. Smoke bombs and parachute flares are not particularly of long duration and, therefore, must be employed when a rescue craft is in sight. Radio beacons and xenon flashers are longer lasting, but may be employed only in open areas to be effective. Present balloons are unsatisfactory since they are inflated at ground level and must be deployed manually to a height that can be seen by rescue craft, thus precluding their use in densely overgrown locations since the inflated balloon will probably be snagged or snarled by the vegetation before an effective deployment height can be achieved. Automatic balloon deployment systems have the additional disadvantages of not permitting the user the flexibility of when and where to deploy the marker, an important consideration if the user is under hostile surveillance at the distress location.
The instant invention obviates the disadvantages of existing signaling systems by providing a long-duration, balloon marker packaged into a self-contained, compact, portable system which is deployed from a tube by a hand-fired rocket to a considerable height before inflation is automatically initiated and remains tethered to the tube. This permits marker deployment when and where desired by the user, and the rocket deployment of the packaged balloon ensures clearance of all obstacles before inflation.